1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to improvements in documenting an environment and more particularly pertains to a system and method to automatically detect and catalog environmental hazards and/or obstacles for route planning.
2. Description of the Related Art
Robots have become widespread since the end of 1960s, but most have been manipulators or industrial robots, such as conveyor robots for the purpose of automated or unmanned production operations in factories. Recently, research and development has advanced on the structure and application of mobile robots. Thus, expectations on the practical use of such mobile robots have increased. Other than industrial uses, uses of recent robot apparatuses include living uses, i.e., “symbiosis” uses with human beings or “entertainment” uses. These robots, regardless of their function, are generally limited in ability by their programming and available sensors to react to the unexpected.
Computing power is ever advancing. The often quoted Moore's law, a rule of thumb in the history of computing hardware whereby the number of transistors that can be placed inexpensively on an integrated circuit doubles approximately every two years is likely currently outdated. Records of data may be made with more ease than was previously obtainable.
However, currently, no common system and repository exists where professionals, civilians, vehicles, robots and computer systems can collaborate and share information regarding hazards that exist in any environment. Any prior sharing of information was generally collected in a single fashion and was not real-time available to a multitude of users across various platforms. Thus, a more efficient and less costly system and method of obtaining data, housing and making use of the data is desired.